marker-assisted selection in wheat

Chapter 21 – Marker-assisted selection as a potential tool for genetic improvement: debating the issues 437be concerned about being constrained by“corporate patents on particular genes,which may require a company’s authorizationfor possession and use”. William (70)noted that development of useful markersfor MAS was already a significant challengein developing countries and felt that if theiruse was restricted due to IPRs “their usewould be really limited”. Both Williams(51) and Sarla (80) stressed that new geneticinformation has to be kept as much in thepublic domain as possible to ensure thatthere is equal access to it.Fairbanks (60) described a case demonstratinghow some of the limitationsimposed by IP issues, including transferof germplasm across international boundaries,could be overcome, while alsoavoiding some of the economic obstaclesfaced by scientists in developing countries.Microsatellite markers for quinoa werebeing developed at an American universityin a joint programme with a Bolivian foundation,to be then sent to Bolivia for use byBolivian scientists in their quinoa breedingand conservation programmes.Differences in capacity between developingcountriesFrom the conference it was clear that thereis enormous diversity in terms of capacity,opportunities and constraints among developingcountries that would have a bearingon development and application of MAS.There are substantial differences in factorsincluding the state of public sectorresearch, the involvement of the privatesector in research, development and marketingcapabilities, perceived priorities fordevelopment, the social and agriculturalsystems of the country, the state of educationalsystems and the degree to whichinformation and technology remain in thepublic domain.Many participants, including Buijs (22)and Corva (29), commented on developingcountries lagging behind developedcountries in uptake of new technologies,and Sokefun (3) expressed concern that alack of resources should not result in thedeveloping world being bypassed. Davila(81) suggested that developing countrieslike Brazil, where MAS can be used relativelyeasily, could help other developingcountries with MAS development, throughsouth-south cooperation. Roughly a quarterof messages posted in the conference camefrom India, and it was apparent that thisis another developing country that hasinvested substantially in MAS, among otherbiotechnologies. Such are the trends incapacity and infrastructure there that it wasindicated that Indian institutions might beable to provide MAS services more cheaplythan in developed countries (Muralidharan,74). This is an important consideration, asBhatia (8) suggested that breeders shouldask whether MAS-related analytical workcould be outsourced. Reddy (62) believedthat MAS would only be economical indeveloping countries like India.Role of the CGIAR and internationalorganizationsCollaboration between the developing anddeveloped world was inferred to be theonly way for the developing world to participaterealistically in the development ofMAS and avail itself of the opportunitiesit represented (Sokefun, 3; Galvez, 38).Fasoula (84) expressed the need for developingcountries to play an active role indeveloping MAS, particularly in makingthe associations between markers and traits,although Koudandé (68) considered thatfor economic reasons developing countriescould simply import required technology.Many other participants voiced the need for